Domaine Armand Rousseau, Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru 2014

This wine stood out at a recent vertical that stretched back to 1964. The 2014 vintage is an unqualified success here, with voluptuously ripe red and blackberry fruit, nuances of smoke and spice. The texture is silky and dense but perfectly balanced by a lovely freshness that carries the fruit to an impressively long finish. It is assembled from the three Rousseau parcels that total 1.42ha. Destemmed and fermented slowly on native yeasts before ageing in new casks.

Saturated, bright dark red. Knockout soil-inflected aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry, mocha and gibiers, with the wine's 100% new oak element nicely integrated. Boasts outstanding sucrosité for the vintage but strong saline minerality and firm acidity perfectly counterpoint the wine's sweetness. This very large-scaled, densely packed wine spreads out horizontally on the inexorable rising finish, saturating the palate with a fine dusting of tannins and shimmering minerality. This stunning Clos de Bèze has all the elements for greatness.

The 2014 Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru has a seductive bouquet with pure raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, woodland scents and a touch of something sweet deep down underneath...white chocolate maybe? The palate is medium-bodied with very refined, supple tannin. The acidity cuts through the red berry fruit and then a healthy dose of black pepper comes towards the finish that has a slight biter cherry edge. This is superb and yet the 2014 Chambertin just moves it to one side this year and says...I'm the daddy.